Today's Headlines: ECOWAS Meeting On Niger Crisis Kicks Off In Abuja; Tinubu Meet With Wike, El-Rufai In Aso Rock

ECOWAS’ Meeting On Niger Crisis Kicks Off In Abuja

Photo Credit: Dailytrust

The Economic Community of West Africa States (ECOWAS) meeting on the Niger crisis is ongoing in Abuja.

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, who is the chairman of ECOWAS, had scheduled another meeting after the expiration of the seven-day ultimatum the regional bloc issued for the reinstatement of President Mohamed Bazoum.

The junta had ignored the ultimatum, resulting in additional sanctions by ECOWAS.

The regional bloc had threatened possible military option; a move that was widely rejected, especially in Nigeria.

Currently, the following Heads of State are in Abuja:

1 President Julius Maada Bio of Sierra Leone

2. President. Umaro Mokhtar Sissoco of Guinea Bissau

3. President Everiste Ndayishimiye of Burundi

4. President Alassane Ouattara of Cote d’Ivoire

5.President Mohamed Ould Ghazouani of Mauritinia

6 .President Nana Akofo-Ado of Ghana

7. President Macky Sall of Senegal

8. President Patrice Talon of Benin Republic

Yet to arrive

1. Togo. Faure Essozimna Gnassingbé Eyadéma

Tinubu meets with Wike, El-Rufai in Aso Rock

Photo Credit: The Nation Nigeria

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu yesterday met with former Governors Nyesom Wike (Rivers) and Nasir El-Rufai (Kaduna) at the Presidential Villa in Abuja.

Photo Credit: Google

Both former governors are President Tinubu’s ministerial nominees.

But while Wike scaled the Senate screening, El-Rufai’s nomination has not been passed.

Wike came out of the meeting with the President around 1:40 p.m, while El-Rufai arrived at 2 p.m for his session with the President.

Ecuador’s presidential candidate shot dead at campaign rally

Photo Credit: Vanguard

Mr Fernando Villavicencio, a candidate in Ecuador’s forthcoming presidential election and member of the national assembly has been shot dead at a campaign rally.

Villavicencio, who has campaigned against corruption and gangs in Ecuador, was attacked as he left the capital, Quito, on Wednesday, according to BBC.

He is one of the few candidates to allege that has been links between organised crime and government officials in the South American country.

Meanwhile, a criminal gang called Los Lobos (The Wolves) has claimed responsibility for the attack.

Los Lobos is the second-largest gang in Ecuador with some 8,000 members, many of whom are behind bars.

The gang has been involved in a number of recent deadly prison fights, in which scores of inmates have been brutally killed.

A break-away faction from the Los Choneros gang, Los Lobos is believed to have links to the Mexico-based Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG), for which it traffics cocaine.

Villacencio was not the first politician to be assassinated as the mayor of the city of Manta was shot dead, last month.

Also, in February, a candidate for mayor in the city of Puerto López was killed, BBC said.

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